Tethered pneumatic toy



1955 s. H. RINKER, JR 2,72

TETHERED PNEUMATIC TOY- Filed May 4, 1953 IN V EN TOR.

TETHERED PNEUMATIC TOY Samuel H. Rinker, J12, Pittsburg, Karts.

Application May 4, 1953, Serial No. 352,913

Claims. (Cl. 46--88) This invention relates to an improved toy capable, when placed in operation, of advancing or projecting outwardly in space away from the child under its own power and thereupon automatically returning to the child for reenergizing the same and for subsequent use.

It is the most important object of the present invention to provide a toy that has a self-propelled device suitably attached to a winding mechanism so that when the device is permitted to advance to one end of its path of travel away from the child, the winding mechanism will automatically return the device to the child.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a toy utilizing an inflatable device such as a ballon tied to one end of a thread, cord or the like, which is in turn wound upon a mechanism that becomes energized as the ballon is permitted to project into space whereby to automatically return the ballon to the child.

Other objects include the way in which the winding mechanism takes the form of a rotatable spool mounted on a support between a pair of rubber bands; the way in which the thread that is normally wound on the spool is guided therefrom by parts on the support; the manner of attaching the thread to the balloon; and many more minor objects all of which will be made clear or become apparent as the following specification progresses.

In the drawing:

Figure l is an elevational view of a pneumatic toy made pursuant to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed, cross-sectional view taken on line Iii-J11 of Fig. 1.

Any suitable support may be provided for the toy hereof and, in its simplest form, support is made from wire bent to present a pair of short, spaced, parallel arms 12 and 14 interconnected by a rod 16. The ends of the wire forming the support 10 terminate within a tubular handle 18, the latter being removable for purposes hereinafter to be made clear.

Rod 16 is provided with a guide loop 20 midway between the ends thereof for a thread, cord or the like 22 interconnecting a self-propelled device 24 and winding mechanism broadly designated by the numeral 26.

The self-propelled device chosen for illustration is in the nature of a toy balloon and is, therefore, inflatable, the neck 28 thereof receiving a short, flexible tube 30 to which the thread 22 is rigidly secured. The tube 30 is insertable within the neck 28 and held therein, not only by frictional grip, but by virtue of the end of the neck 28 looping over the outermost end of the tube or sleeve 30. Accordingly, as the balloons 24 break, they may be replaced simply by threading the neck 28 thereof over the sleeve 30. As an additional means of holding the tube 30 is place the latter is provided with an external bead (not shown) on the innermost end thereof over which the neck 28 engages as at 32.

The winding mechanism 26 includes a rotatable member that may take the form of a spool 34 having one end of the thread 22 secured thereto and around which the thread 22 is normally wound as shown in the drawing. Spool 34 is supported by and between the arms 12 and 14 through the medium of a pair of opposed attenuable elements, which in the embodiment chosen for illustration, takes the form of rubber bands 36 and 38. One end of the bands 36 and 38 is tied to the spool 34 and particularly, to opposed screw eyes 40 and 42, disposed in direct alignment with the axis of rotation of spool 34 and the opposite ends of the rubber bands 36 and 38 are looped over the arms 12 and 14. The bands 36 and 38 are held against movement along the arms 12 and 14 by the provision of kinks 44 in the arms 12 and 14. By virtue of the fact that the handle 18 is removable, the bands 36 and 38 may be replaced simply by threading the same into the wire-like support 10 after tying the bands to the screw eyes 49 and 42.

It is to be preferred that the bands 36 and 38 be stretched taut between the spool 34 and the arms 12 and 14 even when the thread 22 is completely wound on the spool 34, and it is preferable further, that the bands 36 and 38 be partially wound at the time the balloon 24 is adjacent the support it), all for the purpose of providing a slight torque on the spool 34 in the direction of winding of the thread 22 thereon.

In operation, the user inflates the balloon 24 and thereupon pinches the neck 28 and the tube 30 until he is ready to release the balloon for travel in any desired direction away from the user holding the support 10 through use of handle 18. As soon as the balloon 24 is released, the same will travel away from the support 10 substantially in the direction of the arrow 46 by virtue of a jet action resulting from air escaping from the balloon 24 with force through the tube 30. As soon as the balloon 24 reaches the outermost end of its path of travel, either by virtue of its becoming completely deflated, or by virtue of the thread 22 becoming completely unwound from the spool 34, balloon 24 will be quickly and immediately returned to the child. This action is the result of winding of the rubber bands 36 and 38 automatically as the balloon 24 pulls upon the thread 22 and unwinds the same from the spool 34.

It is absolutely essential to the action above described, that the rubber bands 36 and 38 be disposed in precise alignment with the axis of rotation of the spool 34, and it is to be preferred that the spool 34 be centered midway between the arms 12 and 14. It has been found further that the device operates best when the balloon 24 takes the shape of a cigar such as is illustrated in the drawing, rather than other configurations that would tend to prevent a straight path of travel for the balloon 24 as it moves away from the support 10.

It is appreciated further that within the concepts of the present invention, means other than balloons might be used on the thread 22 so long as the same is self-propelled.

While as above set forth the support 10 may be easily and inexpensively manufactured in a simple manner such as illustrated in the drawing, other shapes and forms for the support may be provided, and to this end a housing for the rubber bands 36 and 38, as well as for the spool, may be used according to the desires of the manufacturer.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A pneumatic toy comprising a support including a pair of spaced arms and a guide loop; a spool between said arms; a rubber band connecting the spool with each arm respectively for rotatably supporting the spool; a thread normally wound on the spool and extending through said loop; a balloon having a neck; and means releasably joining the balloon to the thread including a flexible sleeve secured to the balloon in said neck and attached to the thread.

2. A pneumatic toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein said spool is provided with a pair of opposed, axially aligned screw eyes receiving the rubber bands.

3. A pneumatic toy as set forth in claim 2 wherein said arms are each provided with an offset kink receiving the rubber bands.

4. A pneumatic toy as set forth in claim 3 wherein said support has a rod joining the arms, the loop being formed in the rod midway between the ends thereof in alignment with the spool.

5. A pneumatic toy comprising a support including a pair of spaced elements; a spool between said elements;

a rubber band connecting the spool with each element 15 respectively for rotatably supporting the spool; a thread attached at one end thereof to said spool and normally wound thereon; a toy balloon; and means joining the balloon to the thread at the opposite end of the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 368,499 Teichmann Aug. 16, 1887 1,291,991 Marui Jan. 21, 1919 2,384,193 Flatt Sept. 4, 1945 2,559,050 St. Clair July 3, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 764,546 France Mar. 5, 1934 

